The Office of the Dean of Students has hired the University's first full-time program coordinator for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center.
Joy Pugh, the University's choice for the position, comes from James Madison University, where she was an administrator in the university's honors program.
"We're very pleased that we were able to identify her for this," said Senior Associate Dean of Students Shamim Sisson, to whom Pugh will report. "We think she has all the right set of skills and experiences."
Students were also pleased with Pugh.
"She has a plethora of experience with students," Queer and Allied Activism Co-President Seth Croft said.
Before JMU, Pugh worked for Time Out Youth, a non-profit organization in North Carolina that provides support and advocacy for members of the LGBT community. Pugh was unavailable for comment yesterday.
The program coordinator is responsible for speaking on behalf of the queer community, raising funds and supervising the efforts of student-run organizations, according to Jill Raney, co-vice president of the Queer Student Union.
Sisson estimates the University's LGBT population to be between 6 and 10 percent.
Pugh's hiring is the result of a nationwide search for a candidate. The search committee was chaired by Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, and included students and faculty members, with Sisson making the final decision.
The University began employing a graduate assistant five years ago for the resource center. Last year, the University allocated funds for a one-year trial for the position, and it was permanently approved this year, Dean of Students Penny Rue said.
The position had been vacant since the previous coordinator, Emily West, resigned last summer.
During the vacancy, students ran the LGBT Resource Center part-time, which stalled a lot of the Center's programming efforts, Croft said.
Having a full-time coordinator ensures there is someone inside the administration every day to make sure all the programming by all of the LGBT student groups is receiving attention, QSU President Kevin Wu said.
Recently, without an administration advocate, it often was hard to spearhead long-term initiatives, such as the development of a queer studies minor and housing specific to LGBT students, Croft said.
The program coordinator runs LGBT programs like Safe-Space and Helpline training and the Speaker's Bureau, all of which aim to provide support and information to the LGBT community and the University at large, Raney said.
Croft said students are excited about her ability to raise funds effectively.
"While in North Carolina, she brought comedian Margaret Cho as part of a fundraiser," Croft said, adding that fundraising for LGBT groups is particularly important at the University because the bulk of the Center's programming funds come from alumni donations.
Raney said Pugh's hiring will strengthen the initiatives of the LGBT community at the University.
"Having an official permanent program coordinator lends credence to our groups and our causes," Raney said.
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